HII’s Pharos Demonstrates Launch and Recovery with Navy Unmanned Vehicle

Rhea-AI Summary

On December 20, 2022, HII (NYSE: HII) announced its collaboration with the Navy to advance unmanned undersea vehicle (UUV) capabilities using the Pharos system from an amphibious ship. Building on a successful June 2022 demonstration of the Proteus UUV, HII has engaged in two new Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs) for further enhancements. The Pharos system was tested with the Navy's Snakehead LDUUV, proving its adaptability for the launch and recovery of large unmanned vehicles. This initiative supports the Navy's future fleet vision.

Positive

• Successful demonstration of Pharos system with Snakehead LDUUV confirms launch and recovery capabilities.
• Collaborative efforts with Navy and advanced technology support future fleet initiatives.

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• None.

NEWPORT, R.I., Dec. 20, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global all-domain defense partner HII (NYSE: HII) collaborated with the Navy on a research and development effort that advanced the launch and recovery of a large size unmanned undersea vehicle (UUV), using an amphibious ship and HII’s Pharos system.

“This is a great example of synergies within HII that accelerate the Navy’s vision for the future fleet,” said Chris Kastner, HII president and CEO. “I’m proud of the cross division teaming, plus the pace of progress of unmanned systems toward launch and recovery from an amphibious ship.”

Building on the success of a June 2022 demonstration where HII launched and recovered its large diameter UUV Proteus with its Pharos system, HII entered into two separate Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADA) to further advance the capability to deploy unmanned vehicles from ships. The CRADAs were with Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City division and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport, Rhode Island.

Photos accompanying this release are available at: https://hii.com/news/hii-pharos-launch-and-recovery-navy-unmanned.

Led by the company’s Advanced Technology Group, comprised of members from Mission Technologies and Ingalls Shipbuilding divisions, HII designed and constructed a surrogate system which was land tested in Panama City, Florida, to ensure the system could accommodate the Navy’s Snakehead phase one large displacement unmanned undersea vehicle (LDUUV) in a loaded condition. The test demonstrated that Pharos can be adapted to a wide range of vehicles, including LDUUVs.

Following that successful demonstration, Pharos and the Snakehead LDUUVs were tested at the Navy’s Narragansett Bay Test Facility in Newport. Pharos, with the Snakehead LDUUV embarked in its cradle, was lowered down and pulled up a ramp to simulate disembarking and embarking the system in the well deck of an amphibious ship. The simulation ensured that the 22,000-pound pull was within the existing capabilities of an LPD as operating in the Navy fleet.

“These demonstrations validate a near term launch and recovery capability for the Pharos system,” said Todd Borkey, HII’s executive vice president and chief technology officer. “HII accelerates the transitioning of new technology into the customer’s mission, thus we are eager to enter the next phase of testing and demonstrate a launch and recovery from an LPD.”

The Pharos system began as a corporate independent research and development project. Ingalls Shipbuilding developed over 40 launch and recovery concepts from a mothership. These concepts were down-selected to the Pharos system with the objective of demonstrating the launch and recovery capability of a LDUUV from an LPD. Ingalls Shipbuilding and Mission Technologies took the Pharos concept and collaboratively designed, developed and constructed Pharos to enable the demonstrations.

About HII

HII is a global, all-domain defense partner, building and delivering the world’s most powerful, survivable naval ships and technologies that safeguard our seas, sky, land, space and cyber.

As America’s largest shipbuilder and with a more than 135-year history of advancing U.S. national defense, we are united by our mission in service of the heroes who protect our freedom. HII’s diverse workforce includes skilled tradespeople; artificial intelligence, machine learning (AI/ML) experts; engineers; technologists; scientists; logistics experts; and business professionals. Headquartered in Virginia, HII’s workforce is 43,000 strong. For more information, visit:

• HII on the web: https://www.HII.com/
• HII on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeamHII
• HII on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/WeAreHII
• HII on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/WeAreHII

Contact:

Danny Hernandez
danny.j.hernandez@hii-co.com 
(202) 580-9086

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/adfed9ca-87e8-458a-ada1-c7f322606ca2

FAQ

What recent development did HII announce with the Navy regarding UUVs on December 20, 2022?

HII announced a collaboration with the Navy to enhance the launch and recovery capabilities of large unmanned undersea vehicles using its Pharos system.

What are the details of the CRADAs HII entered into for unmanned vehicle deployment?

HII entered into two Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs) with the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center to further improve UUV deployment from ships.

How does the Pharos system support the Navy's objectives?

The Pharos system enables efficient launch and recovery of unmanned systems, aligning with the Navy's vision for its future fleet.

What previous demonstration did HII build upon for its recent UUV technology development?

HII built upon a successful June 2022 demonstration where it launched and recovered the Proteus UUV using the Pharos system.

What was demonstrated at the Navy’s Narragansett Bay Test Facility with the Pharos system?

The Pharos system was tested to simulate the launch and recovery of the Snakehead LDUUV, confirming its operational capabilities with a 22,000-pound load.